Laura Deas

Laura Deas (/diːz/ DEEZ; born 19 August 1988) is a British sports woman, best known as a skeleton racer on the World Cup circuit, representing the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association. She won bronze at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Laura Deas
Laura Deas in 2017 in Lake Placid
Personal information
Born (1988-08-19) 19 August 1988
Wrexham, Wales, United Kingdom[1]
ResidenceBath, England, United Kingdom
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)[1]
Weight65 kg (143 lb)[1]
WebsiteLauraDeas.co.uk
Sport
Country Great Britain
SportSkeleton
Medal record
Skeleton
Olympic Games
2018 PyeongchangWomen
Fans in Igls – February 2016

Early life

Born in Wrexham, North Wales, she graduated at Howell's school, Denbigh. Deas played hockey, representing North Wales in competition, and participated in equestrian sports, from Pony Club tetrathlon and latterly eventing (internationally from 2006 to 2008),[2] in which she was team captain for Wales.[1]

Skeleton

Deas was brought into skeleton in 2009 through UK Sport's "Girls4Gold" talent identification programme, and was selected to UK national team the following year. She rides a Blackroc sled.[3]

Deas won her first Europe Cup race in Winterberg in 2010, in only her fifth international race, after placing third the two previous races. Deas finished fourth in her only Junior World Championships, in 2011 (her only year of eligibility) at Park City. In March 2012, she joined the North American Cup circuit for two races at Lake Placid, both with podium finishes. The next two season, Deas competed in the Intercontinental Cup, where she had one third-place finish and two second-place finishes.[3]

She made her World Cup debut in the 2014–15 season, in which she claimed two medals, took seventh place in the world championships at Winterberg, and finished fifth overall. Deas earned her first World Cup victory in the opening race of the 2015–16 season.[4] The same season she also finished third at Lake Placid and fifth at the European Championships in St. Moritz. Her best European Championship result was fourth, in 2017 at Igls.[3]

In the overall World Cup rankings, Deas finished her rookie season in fifth place, with 1314 points.[5] The following year, despite earning more points, she dropped back to seventh place;[6] and in 2016–17, 1240 points was good enough for sixth place.[7]

Deas was named to her first Olympic team in 2018 after finishing the World Cup season standings in seventh place, ahead of fellow Team GB skeletoner and defending Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold.[8] She took the bronze medal behind winner Yarnold and silver medallist Jacqueline Lölling.

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References
  1. "Laura Deas". British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. "10031738 – Laura DEAS (GBR)". Fédération Équestre Internationale. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  3. "Laura DEAS". International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  4. "Dream start for Deas". BBSA. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  5. "Standings (Women's Skeleton) (2014/2015)". International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  6. "Standings (Women's Skeleton) (2015/2016)". International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  7. "Standings (Women's Skeleton) (2016/2017)". International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  8. "Quartet earn Olympic Skeleton spots" (Press release). British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
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